U.S. reports no ties to Chinese bleaching agent

April 13, 2010
-
by Eric Schroeder

Share This:

LENEXA, KAS. — The Chinese company reportedly accused of adding pulverized lime to bleaching agents used in flour production in China may not even export bleaching agents to the United States. Ian Trood, vice-president of sales at Caravan Ingredients, Lenexa, said he has never heard of Yuzhong Food Additive Co. and to the best of his knowledge the Chinese company only sells supplies to companies inside China. Caravan Ingredients has sent a letter to its customers. It reads, “Recent news articles have reported that a flour bleach supplier, Yuzhong Food Additive Co., has adulterated their product with either chemical lime (calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide) or limestone (calcium carbonate), depending on the report.

Research Products Co., Salina, Kas., uses no raw materials from China in the production of its Oxylite AA, a wheat flour bleach premix, or Oxylite XX, which is used to bleach milk, cream and liquid whey, said Monte White, president.

A Reuters news report from Beijing dated April 8 said Yuzhong Food Additive Co. was using pulverized lime, an inedible ingredient that may cause lung damage, in bleaching agents and that the company sells bleaching agents to flour mills in China. In an April 9 report from Chinadaily.com.cn, Yuzhong Food Additive Co. said it was using calcium carbonate and not pulverized lime.

Comment on this Article

The views expressed in the comments section of Baking Business News do not reflect those of Baking Business News or its parent company, Sosland Publishing Co., Kansas City, Mo. Concern regarding a specific comment may be registered with the Editor by clicking the Report Abuse link.
Enter code as it is shown (required):